ILS Expects Big Boost from New Russian Export Credit Agency

摘要

Commercial launch services provider International Launch Services expects to conduct four or five commercial campaigns this year, compared with seven in 2013, as demand for Russian government launches, not handled by ILS, consumes most of the rocket's 10-launch manifest this year, ILS President Phil Slack said March 10. Briefing reporters here during the Satellite 2014 conference, Slack declined to speculate on what satellites might make it onto the commercial manifest in 2014, saying it depends in part on whether the planned Russian government satellites are on schedule. He specifically said ILS is talking with Inmarsat about the second of two planned Inmarsat Global Xpress satellites and its place on the manifest. Near-term ILS launches this year include the Astra 2G satellite for SES of Luxembourg and the Yamal 401 spacecraft for Russia's Gazprom Space Systems, Slack said.